Five years ago, I closed my online business. As a lawyer, I had set up my practice to serve clients primarily on the internet. I had to learn internet marketing, copywriting, newsletter writing and more. While I ran the business for nearly 3 years, it reached a point where the business was no longer sustainable. I needed a steady paycheck so I closed my office and looked for a job.
I ultimately found another job in the legal field, but I learned many lessons during this process.
When I was at rock bottom financially and professionally, I kept reminding myself that it wasn’t the end of the world and that I could survive this rock-bottom moment in my life.
Here are 7 reminders that helped me through this dark period. If you have experienced a personal rock bottom, keep these 7 reminders in mind.
1. There are lessons to be learned.
If you fail at something, you will have much to learn
- You will learn about yourself, about business and about your ability to handle stress.
- You will learn how to keep going when life is not going your way.
- You will discover your resilience and ability to persist.
What you see as challenges are lessons that will stay with you for every chapter of your life.
2. You now know what doesn’t work.
With success, you’ll learn what worked, but even more importantly with failure, you’ll learn what didn’t work, which can be just as valuable.
It’s true – the more you figure out what doesn’t work, the closer you get to what does work!
3. Success comes from the brink of failure.
It’s usually the point where you can’t go on or deal with the problem that a solution comes up or the problem reaches a resolution.
The proverb is true: “the darkest hour is before the dawn.”
If you’re experiencing rock bottom, light and the way are around the corner. You just have to muddle through and survive these difficult moments you’re experiencing right now.
4. The farther you fall, the higher you’ll rise.
The harder and farther you fall, the higher you’ll rise. **The more rock bottom you find yourself in, the more growth, progress and success waiting for you
.**
Your fall may have been long and painful, but keep in mind that your rise will be high and far. The farther behind you are, the more room you have to progress.
Remember, sometimes you have to fall backwards before you can shoot forward.
5. It can’t get any worse.
The best part about having many challenges and hitting rock bottom is that things cannot get any worse. This is a strange way to appreciate your situation, but find solace in the fact that you’ve seen and faced the worst in your life.
If anything else is going to happen, it can only be an improvement. Brighter days are ahead.
6. You’ve been here before.
You’re worried about this epic challenge, but remember that you’ve encountered plenty of failures, disappointments and defeats. Over and over, you’ve come back from these challenging situations. Use your experience, your ability to overcome your past and your knowledge of your resilience to come back from where you are now.
If you did it before, you can do it again.
7. This too shall pass.
Everything – yes, everything – will come and go. Your failures, heartbreaks and disappointments may be here today, but they’re not a permanent situation.
If you stay strong while taking action to improve things, life will change in your favor. You will go from rock bottom and hopeless to hopeful and full of life.
What have you done to overcome the rock-bottom moments in your life? Please share in the comments below.
Vishnu is a writer and coach who helps people coming out of divorces start over and rebuild their lives. For weekly updates, visit www.vishnusvirtues.com. For his Amazon book, 10 Sacred Ways of Healing a Broken Heart, click here.
